Does moving out of state end a parent's child support obligation?

On behalf of Nachlis & Fink posted in child support on Tuesday, April 17, 2018.

In this ever-changing world, Californians often move to different cities, states and countries. While some relocations are undertaken for work or relationships, others are done simply to experience new and different places. In some cases, people may choose to move to avoid being reminded of bad experiences or events. Relocation can serve as a new beginning for a person looking to make changes in their life.

However, one thing that a person cannot leave behind if they choose to move out is their child support obligation. If a parent has been ordered by a court to provide their child or children with financial support, then that obligation does not cease simply because they no longer live near their kids.

In fact, the Uniform Interstate Family Support Act is a federal law that has been implemented in all of the states of the nation. Under that law, if a parent moves to a new state, but their child remains in the state, then the state of the parent's residence cannot change or terminate the parent's child support obligation, so long as the child remains living in our state.

This is an excellent protection for a child who depends on the support of both of their parents to live their life and succeed in their undertakings. It is also an important tool for custodial parents to understand in the event that their children's non-custodial parents seek to use moves as the bases on which to end child support obligations. Consultations with family law attorneys may be helpful for readers who wish to learn more about child support, relocation and other related topics.